We had pecan cobbler for dessert at supper tonight. I was eating mine and saw some confused faces around the table. Obviously, I had missed something because I was giving my full attention to the pecan cobbler. What I missed was that the guy across the table from me had put salt on his pecan cobbler. The rest thought he was suffering from some type of brain malfunction. He said no; he did this all the time and on purpose. The guy next to me says he puts salt on his pecan cobbler as well. The rest of us are a bit flabbergasted and wondering if we needed to pray harder for these two friends. One said to me that I should try it. I immediately said no; I had no plans on ruining a pretty good pecan cobbler. Then it occurred to me that this day was going to be tough for a "first." Especially since the ice cream tour was not going to happen. So, I ate salt on my pecan cobbler for my "first." I tried a very small piece to start.
It was actually not terrible. It was not awful either. It tasted better than I thought which is not a high compliment. Probably in the future, I will not eat salt on my pecan cobbler. Then again, I might do it just to freak someone out. It really was OK. Then I asked those guys if they salted their watermelons. Most did, one eats salt and pepper on cantaloupes. Then one guy started talking about eating mayonnaise on their french fries and it was time for prayer meeting.
Really??
As I thought about that, I thought about how God puts things together that don't seem to go together. One of those things was and is the body of Christ. God puts people together in His body that really don't seem to fit. In the New Testament, God put Jews, Gentiles, and Samaritans together in His body of love. He called Peter, a rough fisherman, to be a disciple alongside Matthew who was a tax collector from near where Peter lived. He could have been Peter's tax collector and could have cheated Peter out of money. I don't think I would have thrown those guys together.
In Jesus Christ, we are all one body. Those who are genuinely converted followers of Christ belong to a forever family of love. The Bible says in Galatians 3:27-28, "For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." The differences we have are not what matters in the body of Christ. What matters is that if we belong to Him then we also belong to each other. We are to love each other regardless of backgrounds, different economic situations, different races, different nationalities, different political persuasions, and even here in SEC football country, different college football allegiances. We are to love each other sacrificially in Christ. That does not mean to simply put up with each other. No, the Bible says in 1 Peter 3:8, "Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins."
When you see people that are very different from you in the body of Christ, remember that you appear very different to them. Our differences are great opportunities to show the world the love of Jesus. I'm still not sure about pecan cobbler and salt, but now pecan cobbler and Blue Bell ice cream, there you have something.
Tasting the abundant life
Barry
3 things I thank God for today
1. Al Jackson's sermon on being filled with the Spirit
2. Kevin Hamm's sermon on living God's way in the last days
3. Don Graham's sermon on a man after God's own heart
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